Yankeeography: Thurman Munson

please [Music] the captain of the New York Yankees Thurman Munson he did things that you'd oh man this guy has got a little play [Music] I was totally amazed always determine I thought he was one of the greatest competitors I've ever known [Music] Herman who was known as family man he attempted to get backhaul this often as he could but unfortunately it took his life coming back that's one of the first things you notice that was Thurman Munson's long that's all you gotta say the way he played the game what we have been about [Music] Thurman Munson was quite simply everything you wanted your catcher to be bigger than life with a menacing scowl that said don't you dare try to cross this plate hi I'm John sterling for the yes Network and this is Yankee ography for 11 years Thurman Munson was the wall behind home plate for the New York Yankees but that scowl and imposing presence was somewhat misleading especially to his family and to those who got to know him as a friend Thurman Munson wore many hats during his short life he was a family man a hard-nosed player and a dedicated though reluctant leader one of the greatest warriors I ever knew Thurman I can remember one of the day I called him in to make him the captain I said Thurman we need somebody to lead us theremin was just he was deleted he was a cat he was the soul of our team really played her at all time at a very unorthodox way of playing the game so as a catcher but got the job done all the time he was a guy that really just went out there left by example the phrase that always comes to me somebody would complain and he'd use one word retired if he heard anybody complain he'd go to and say retired user gladdy here having he was a warrior he was a professional they did whatever it took I had the privilege of being able to hang around Thurman for a little while and he was he was grumpy I mean he was wonderfully drunk you know he the guys would tease him because he was so grumpy but he was such a competitor that they allowed his rookies they admired his properties and they just you know loved being on his team he was a great TV he was one of those guys where they didn't say a lot but when he said someone he had a reason to say it I mean in everyone listening Thurmond enjoyed playing baseball he liked playing baseball he had a sense of tradition for the history of the game and at the same time he enjoyed catching it was the most challenging position on the field and it was a position that demanded death not only physical ability but thinking the mental process of it determined really relish sati spongy's dedication to his craft in his captaincy help the Yankees reach a place they hadn't been in 15 years almost on his shoulders he was determined to restore the Yankees to the championship level when he lived to see that he did it three straight World Series two World Championships a slew of Gold Gloves great offensive honors he could easily fill up a Hall of Fame plaque for over months but far pi/2 speaks on the field it was his family that gave Thurman the greatest joy at him a grind of a baseball season he did all he could to see them Diane and the kids were foremost in his life one of the reasons he bought an airplane so he could go back and forth the Canton from time to time we always knew he was a devoted family man you know he loved being home when he was home that's where he was at he was not at a baseball field he wasn't a Yankee was it was Thurman Munson he would come home probably two or three times a week he would want to tuck the kids in at night read the bedtime story he would want to go in the pool with the kids tired as he was it was just interesting because he never gave up that family bond no matter what he was doing or no matter what he was involved in the one thing I could always say about Thurman Munson is his family was number one from day one he was a great dad he was fun we would play games like a monopoly and Parcheesi those were big big family games would play and you're not being tired coming to fly home he always took the time it was it was a very big thing and I'm glad he did it his loss of course was felt the hardest by his family but by his baseball family to lose a guy like him and baseball is a bad thing because he was what baseball is all about you don't realize what you have till you lose it and this was certainly the case with Thurmond are you gonna replace a guy like that you don't I had the feeling that it would never be the same you know I said to myself ill I'm gonna win games but it'll never be the same again because you can't replace him there was no way to replace that man [Music] Thurman Lee Munson was born in Akron Ohio in 1947 his older brothers taught him baseball on the family farm at the age of 12 he met his one and only loved when I met Thurman I was I knew I came home and as girls do when they're in grade school I wrote mrs. Thurman Munson and you know the hearts and all of them and people would laugh I said you know someday I'm gonna marry him Diana was so convinced she had met someone special she even told her father I said to my parents just as a little child you know this kid Thurman Munson my dad they could tell you man what what what name was that and it was a joke I said dad someday you're gonna read about Thurman months and he's gonna be a professional baseball player well of course that's everybody's dream but I knew that Thurman had something something positive in something almost charismatic that he he in fact could do this well he had me convinced and eventually he my dad became a real big believer at layman high school Munson was all city and all state in both football and basketball but his passion was baseball he was offered scholarships for football commanded baseball but it was Kent State baseball coach moose Hastert who won a moment moose had said things to Thurman about you know his future that Thurmond liked and Thurmond wanted to be close to home so it was a good fit [Music] after a solid season in the Cape Cod League in 68 Munson was the fourth overall pick in that year's draft everyone's dream is a Yankee I don't care what anyone says that is the epitome of tradition and Thurman was thrilled to be auntie Munson sign on his 21st birthday and reported the double-a Binghamton he'd just signed that year he'd signed out at Kent State he was at Binghamton and he was very confident they came and played a game in Yankee Stadium Eastern League game in Yankee Stadium before one of our games watch them I was sitting on the bench watching the game before our game then thermally jumped up on the bench he said hey stick he said you're in on everything here he says what the heck they bringing me up he had only been signed maybe six eight weeks brimming with confidence Thurman had another good year and topped it off by getting married to Diana in September he joined the Yankees for spring training in 69 start the season at Syracuse before getting called to duty in the Army Reserves Thurman Munson drove a banach and I were Jill veronik was a relief pitcher we were all on the same reserve unit and we had to go to summer camp before Dix New Jersey everybody was going through the same thing it was you know it was either that or active duty and we were very fortunate that we could do what we did he was able to drive on the weekends to Yankee Stadium and actually got to have a few at-bats and the fans warmed up to him immediately and it was just amazing he was thrilled Thurmond made his Yankee debut on August 8th of 69 he caught an al downing shutout and got his first hit of catfish mother unfortunately I couldn't be there but he did call me immediately and I remember that was one of our largest phone bills because he could not stop talking about his excitement and how it felt in what he thought he could do it was amazing because he believed in himself and that entire experience made him know that he could do it late sixties early seventies when Thurman arrived back in those days rookies were kind of seen and not heard Thurman was a little different rookie Thurman Munson won the starting catchers job in 1970 but it quickly became clear he was no ordinary woman back in those days late sixties early seventies when Thurman arrived rookies were kind of seen and not heard you know Thurman was a little different looking he was he was seen and heard I'd heard a little bit about him from the organization he was one of the top-rated players and when he come up he was going to be a catcher there for a long period of time but my first impression is boy where did this cocky young kid come from though Thurman didn't hit much at first the Yankees weren't concerned they knew he'd win them games with his glove but even they were surprised at how quickly he took charge behind home plate I remember a few Tigers pretty brashness on his part you got guys out there like a few of the veteran pitchers have been around for a while but down one or two and you know they'd be looking at him and he he called timeout he had marched right out there they'd get a subtle right then and there wouldn't be any problem after that it was like most good catchers he was in control he didn't hesitate he didn't leave it up to anyone else he took that responsibility he'd be right out on that mound and say look this is what I see you're doing wrong and there's a picture you don't have this photographic image of what you're doing out there so therefore you need someone who can correct you right then and there and he was able to jump on it right away and help you he was so sure of himself so sure what he could do behind the plate but he was known for his quickness behind the plate he was as quick as anybody I've ever seen you know come out from behind that Crouch and get a jump on the balls bunted balls and certainly his throws to second base Thurman led the league with 80 assists he also threw out baserunners with remarkable consistency and those early hitting roles soon disappeared we were in Washington at the Shoreham Hotel he was in the slump start season the Thurman was distraught he didn't know where to go what to do he came in after the game went straight up to the room and I walked in with him and he just sat on the bed and didn't want to go eat then he won't do anything and here I was trying to encourage him never beat me by 80 points that year it all added up to Rookie of the Year fresh off his first season Thurmond spent the winter in Canton with Diana and daughter Tracy at the time just a baby and then it was back to work Yankees had an off year in 71 but Munson's just got better Thurman was a real throwback as you probably heard a hundred times he was an old-school tight ball he just looked like Oh down on the trenches tight player and they talked about a throwback player they're talking about people that don't mind getting their uniform dirty you know and they get down with we'll lock the plate and do the things that you're supposed to do to win ballgames they called him the wall for obvious reasons and in time most players chose not to run through him remarkably Thurmond may just one era the entire 71 season was voted to his first all-star team as always Thurmond did his best to balance baseball and family his family life wasn't always what he wanted it to be so he wanted to make sure when he had his own children that he had a bond with them in December Dianna gave birth to their second child Kelly [Music] now some interesting to see such a perceived tough guy such a person whose exterior was gruff in other people's eyes to see his gentleness you know that maybe that's why they say Thurmond was an enigma all I know is we got to see the soft side of him and it was special [Music] Williams electric shaver ASA was said closer cleaner less your attention I'm gonna use electric shaver that'll be the best looking catch her in the game with George Steinbrenner taking charge in 1973 a change was in the hair beers mustaches and mop tops were out skin was in for everything Thurmond brushed it off and had a solid year the Yankees still finished fourth and though Munson was considered one of the game's top catches he was still ranked below Cincinnati's Johnny Bench in Boston's Halton post Herman was of a mind that Kurt Goudy he was doing the game of the week for NBC in those days and was from Boston was inflating Fisk's stardom at the expense of Munson and making Fisk out to be a far greater ball player than Thurman was when one was batting and one was catching you know once and could be heard it wasn't Fisk I read what you said in the paper yesterday and Fisk and Munson developed this genuine dislike for speech managers and players came and went on the Yankees the next couple of seasons but Munson remained a fixture behind the plate 1975 he had a banner year in the field Thurman won his third Gold Glove Award and knocked in more than 100 runs for the first time ever in addition Thurman and Diane have welcomed into the family Michael their third child life was good for Munson in 75 except the Yankees finished third and he spent the postseason home once again though the Yankees struggled Munson remained the constant finally in 76 Steinbrenner decided that Thurman should be the team leader rekindled the tradition that had lain dormant on the Yankees since 1939 it's Joe McCarthy's intent when we Eric took himself out of the lineup in 1939 was that there would never be a Yankee captain again the position was going to be retired with Lou to his credit George Steinbrenner said well if Joe McCarthy or Lou Gehrig knew Thurman Munson they'd know this was the right guy I said Thurman we need somebody leaders we need a leader oh we're not gonna make it we don't have leadership he was not one who would give speeches and he was never comfortable even being designated cabs and finances I don't want to be the captain you are and I said well that's too bad I'm paying him you're gonna be the captain he played as the captain and everybody knew it you didn't have to name him captain you know he was the captain the reluctant leader flourished in the newly renovated Stadium Thurmond drove in 105 runs and won the league MVP award it was the leadership by example Steinbrenner had hoped for he was a wise sound leader by actions and then if something was a mess he was a guy that we just went out the inlet by example wasn't a big talker it wasn't rock guy but he said I'd walk there and bad knees trying to run catch that's his pirate still today Munson remains the only Yankee ever to win awards for both Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player that season he decided that he was gonna go for it all I think and just you know take the Yankees where they needed to go and he did under Thurman's command the Yankees won the pennant and faced bench in the Big Red Machine in a 76 World Series the mighty Reds swept the Yankees despite a hitting performance by Munson that drew Rays [Applause] it just stays right there keeps everything in although Sparky was obviously impressed with Munson's hitting prowess he stirred up a hornet's nest with less flattering words during a postgame press conference he said something like you know don't try comparing Thurman Munson with Johnny Bench you can't compare anybody to Johnny Bench that is one of the first times that I saw him really reeling with hurt Thurman took that personally and really lashed out at Sparky Anderson and the Yankees have just lost four straight anyway this really heightened the frustration for Thurman the way it came out and it made it sound like like Thurman wasn't even anywhere near the player that Johnny Bench was couldn't be in the same ballpark and that that wasn't true you know because his Thurman had just had a great World Series and it you know if we'd all played as well as Thurman did that series we would have swept them for help still to come sooo at the time fit because between the 77 and 78 Molotov we were great so far severe weather come back to Yankee ography before the 1977 season Thurman Munson was asked about the prospect of bringing Reggie Jackson to the Yankees absolutely he said knowing full well it would help to make the Yankees a better team but what Thurmond hadn't planned on was the tension and the turmoil that Reggie would create in a clubhouse that up until that point had been pretty much Thurman's domain in New York City circa 1977 there could be only one straw to stir the drink he signed free agent out fielder Reggie Jackson for the 77th season they knew they were getting an outspoken superstar but one question had to be asked before Reggie ever put on the pinstripes Reggie what were you thinking Reggie did an interview for sport magazine and he knew it was for sport because there's nobody as media savvy as Reggie and he didn't interview before joining the Yankees in which he criticized Thurman's leadership Reggie said I'm the straw that stirs the drink Munson can only stir it bad [Music] Reggie came in and says I'm the straw that stirs a drink you know and Thurman I know didn't take that too kindly because I was with him for that that day and somebody said someone sat at one point well maybe he was misquoted then Thurman said for nine pages so that was not a good way to get off of the Yankees because it not only alienated Monson but all the other guys who loved one so this was Thurman's ballclub Thurman Munson was the leader of the Yankees he was beloved by most of those guys on the team when they read what Reggie had to say about Thurman they were absolutely furious and the one who was the most furious of course was building Martin the manager of the team so Billy wouldn't get along with Reggie Reggie wouldn't get on one bit once the wooden did a little graduated with Munson everything was gone we just don't get 25 guys that you get along with all of them so if you don't get along with a couple of you know it doesn't make any difference you're gonna get out and play anyway the unique atmosphere in the Bronx led to an appropriate nickname in the term Bronx Zoo at the time fit because between the 77 and 78 ball clubs we were great soap up you know people would tell me I can't wait to pick up the paper to see what is happening with you guys the zoo like atmosphere in the clubhouse generated a feeding frenzy by the media to its Thurman developed a decided distaste when things got more controversial around the Yankees and he as captain was kind of in the center of it we just didn't like the vibes he was picking up about how the media was gonna try and dig up dirt not concentrate on the games themselves and he just said I'm not gonna have any part of that so to almost any question he would just say I'm just happy to be here he was just another way of saying I'm not talking to you but despite the off-field distractions Munson remained brilliant on it had a good year at the plate hitting 308 with 100 runs batted in his third straight year with a 300 average and a hundred ribbies more importantly he led the team into the playoffs to the second year in a row where the Yankee survived a five-game battle with Kansas City America the Yankees were off to the World Series where they faced the Los Angeles Dodgers this series put Munson and Jackson together in the spotlight and they both Excel Thurman had 320 with two doubles in a home run but it was Reggie who earned the nickname mr. October with a 450 average and three home runs in Game six [Applause] a during World Series tunnel as a way of making any drink tastes good Dom the straw that stirs the drink definitely created a strain between Jackson and Munson but in some ways was healed by the big year that Reggie gave them in 77 and though you know three home runs in the last game of the World Series and you can see Munson with this big smile in the dugout congratulating Reggie and that smiles not a pretend smile I mean he appreciated that that guy had done taking them to the top [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] sermon I'm gonna ask you a quick oh yes to do and we're both black guys now let me let me ask you this you want to go back to Cleveland are you happy here in New York um I'm not gonna answer that question I'm trying to be happier than that you are happy but are you happy here you want to stay here I'll play baseball some work I'm okay all right after winning it on 77 Thurman was on top of the world but he felt his life would be complete where he closer to his family in Canton he did talk about wanting to play for Cleveland which bothered us all a lot in New York we couldn't believe that this man who wanted to win so badly was sincere about wanting to go to Cleveland but he did talk about that a great deal well I think he had talked to people about going to the Indians I think he wanted to be close to the family I think it was an idea that somebody threw out I think he considered it at times when it seemed like a zoo in New York which you know we know it can be a zoo you know maybe yeah maybe he talked about it but I don't think in his heart he was ever anything other than a Yankee determined to have it all professional excellence and a complete family life Thurman took matters into his own hands he told me that he he'd purchased a new plane so that he could spend a little bit more time at home and with his family Diane and the kids were foremost in his life and one of the reasons he bought an airplane one of the big reasons he bought an airplane is so he could go back back and forth the Canton from time to time went with time allowed I would come home probably two or three times a week and do it was it seemed to be working out for him he would still want to tuck the kids in at night he would still want to read the bedtime story tired as he was he was a great dad he was fun he was constantly doing things that to actually kind of bother mom that included us you know like we would just do goofy things make snowmen outside and we laid out in the lawn chairs and pretended like we are getting Sun when it was freezing out and things like that you know he was just fun I know the little girls they used to cry when they would get out of the bathtub they'd say please we don't want you to dry our hair we want dad because he does it gentle so I mean he made sure that he did all those special things Yanis commend his love for Diane and for his kids I used to fly with him from time to time again on off days and boy the family really really enjoyed having Thurman around home and he enjoyed it also it was a good good family situation back on the ground the game was taking his toll Thurman's body was beaten up and his teammates couldn't help but notice people in the stands didn't see him tape from almost ankle to them he was always in pain knees thighs he was always bruised he was a walking cast it's a tough game to play when you're healthy when you go out and you're hurt as he was with us with the bad knees and seeing limping and crawling around when he went down and seated go out there every day and do that down the stretch that's when you realize what you have here type of person he he was Thurman struggles mirrored those of his team in 78 and neither quit as the Yankees capped off a miraculous comeback in spectacular fashion [Music] and once the postseason pressure arrived the captain was clutch well I just I remember a big home run he hit for us in playoffs against Kansas City [Music] [Applause] led by Monson the Yankees would beat the Dodgers in the series for the second year in a row [Applause] and fittingly the last out settles in the captain's globe on the field once again now it was time to get back to his first love the one thing I could always say about the Thurman Munson is his family was number one from day one there was never any doubt I don't believe in anyone's eyes coming up next this is George and I said George Hill he said George Steinbrenner he just said it's Thurman and as soon as he said it's Thurman I knew [Music] I think you're just a feeling to being alone for an hour or two by yourself and you pick up there nobody asks any questions you don't have to put on any kind of an act you skipper you enjoy yourself you have to be on your toes but it's just a kind of relaxation where you spend a lot of time by yourself and I need that I also need to get home a lot so I love to fly he's fearless Thurmond was fearless in baseball and he was fearless I think in flying Munson had taken his hobby to a new level he upgraded to a twin jet Cessna Citation who was flying home to Canton more than ever while it had become a passion for Thurman it was a concern for others I don't know that he he was instructed enough for him to be in such a sophisticated aircraft a spring training on the air he was taking flying lessons and by the all-star break he was in a jet and it's just too much too fast I tried to talk him out of flying because I know enough about flying to know that when you go from us prop plane were responses immediate to a jet plane where you takes time for the engines to pick up the response that's trouble but you know let me tell you the guy was a good pilot I was up in the air a lot with with Thurman when he owned that the prop jet type planes he'd always been wanting to want me to go up in the plane lift I said there's no way I've gone up in a plane with you he said look I don't care whether you live or die he said to me but I really care if I live or die nothing's gonna happen he was brazen though he wasn't afraid and sometimes maybe he didn't respect it enough I would say that just seemed like this hard-headed Munson he was gonna master this he was gonna have it his way there was no clause in the contract that prohibited it people didn't speak to him we talked about it extensively and it was one of those things where once he decided it was pretty much the way he wanted it following a game in Chicago on August 1st Thurman flew to Canton to spend the ensuing off day with his family Bobby Murcer accompanied him to the airport when they get ready to take off he said well do me a favor he said just go down to the end of the runway and watch me take off and they will forget when he took off I mean I couldn't believe that Thurmond was up there in this jet I mean this most powerful machine all by himself it was dark and he just took off into the end of the night Thurmond arrives safely in Canton that night that felt something was wrong with the jet he decided to run a series of touch-and-go test the following day it was on one of those maneuvers that Thurmond crashed just 1,000 feet from the runway the phone rang and the voice on the other side the other line said this is George goose this is George and I said George you he said George Steinbrenner you know there was something wrong because he doesn't call you just don't know what it is he just said it's Thurmond so as he said his Thurmond I new New York Yankees and sports fans everywhere suffered a great loss tonight that of Star catcher Thurman Munson who was killed this afternoon in an airplane crash my wife and I are eating dinner in New York City one of the waiters came out for big baseball thing and said Phil I hope it's not true but it just came over the air waves that Thurman Munson was killed in an airplane crash Thurman Munson the 32 year old captain of the New York Yankees is dead Roberto Clemente had been killed a few years earlier in a plane crash but a modern athlete in the prime of his career you know such a high-profile position as being the captain of the Yankees we haven't seen that coming sports in a long time this was huge my first reaction was shocked my second reaction was angry ad Thurman because of the airplane [Music] catfish lived across the street from me he came knocking on my door that night and he says you're not gonna believe this is he's his Thurman's dead I thought I must be joking [Music] I was just shocked that can believe I'm a Jew I just saw him we just just played a game together that's impossible there was a most sickening shocking thing that ever happened to me it was a surreal harsh reality Thurman Munson was gone in an instant three people came to the door and told me what had happened him just changed our world [Music] as hard as it was the Yankees tried to play a game the night after Thurman died the weather was appropriate it was misty cold rain it was like tears enveloping the fans and they had a big flower spread in front of his locker and his caching gear was hanging up in the locker and a locker was completely cleaned out and I'll just never forget that that's when I broke down and and that's when I really it really hit me you know just seeing that locker we [Music] our brother and your faithful son you could hear people the fans in the stands just weeping and crying you know [Music] we were just shocked the outpouring of emotion by Yankee fans for their fallen hero caught his teammates off-guard and only compounded that grief it lasted for about 20 minutes noise twenty minutes did show like 20 years but it was a tremendous tribute to Thurman and I think the fans in New York knew exactly what kind of guy this was or what kind of ballplayer they have during the ceremony home plate for me there was that gap in there and he wasn't there I had the feeling that it would never be the same there was no way to replace that man that the ballplayers were never gonna be the same I mean they had to go in that field I remember how hurt I was for all of them the Yankees lost the game that night one dozen the funeral looming games were not their priority they told them we're gonna charter a plane or gonna fly out to Thurman's funeral until he's going the whole team they said well we can't allow that because of what if you don't make it back I said well then touch we don't make it back we forfeit on August 6th in Canton Ohio players past and present joined the Yankees in their sorrow the eulogies left everyone dream Billy Martin was a wreck over stop Piniella Mercer I don't know how those guys got through those talks those eulogy talks I don't know they did it but they did it it was a traumatic day but it really was just all kinds of emotions from sorrow and grief to some anger and just about any emotion that you can conjure we all wear a uniform Thurman will never be king forever it was genuine and sincere and it only added to the tears that were in that funeral home that day Thurman Munson who wore the pinstripes with number 15 but in living loving and legend history report then the Yankees faced the task of trying to compose themselves for that night's game riding home on the plane from the funeral Billy had told me that he said look don't even worry about playing tonight you get some rest take the night off you know it's been a tough two or three days and I told Billy I said huh I said for some reason another I feel like I need to play tonight I'm not really tired the game was nationally televised all eyes were on the Yankees and they're missing the comradely he was the best there was at what he did and he was a pride of things he didn't really feel like playing but you knew you had to and it went out there played out the team went up played a heck of a ballgame in the seventh with the Yankees trailing for nothing the last Yankee to see Thurman got the chance to close the gap to why [Applause] like a Hollywood movie you know just coming through for Thurman and then in the bottom of the ninth still down by one Mercer brought the game to a poignant end [Applause] this was for Thurman this is in his memory and the amazing thing is that Bobby Mercer came to my house and brought that bat he wanted me to have that [Applause] it's a ball game the people that played in it I will remember the rest of their lives [Music] [Applause] it's a big lift you know we won the game because of the moment but even the wind was not joyous after the game all the emotions were just like at the beginning everybody's crying it was difficult for us to rebound from that so there's a while even going to next year you know when you lose your leader when you leave you to spiritual lead on your team your captain is tough the bottom line is we knew he wasn't coming back in mmm and we all really felt bad for for Diane and the kids they're gonna have to do it without Thurman I remember after the game everybody go on in one by one standing in front of his locker and I am still grateful that that locker is empty in the Yankee clubhouse Thurman Munson's legacy of hard work and dedication will never be forgotten the Yankees are reminded of it every day his locker actually is right next to mine so every day I come in I see Thurman Munson's locker there's something about it it's almost what you feel out on the stadium about the you almost feel that looking at his locker to everybody was blown away by I mean that's one of the things when you're coming to walk when it's one of the first things you noticed I mean why is this like I mean once you notice it man that's that was Thurman Munson's locker room and that's that's how you guys said I just sensed that Thurman is in everybody's ear during the course of the season there's no question his presence in the clubhouse is felt because of his locker Bunsen is remembered and honored in Canton too with a motto league stadium dedicated in his memory it's wonderful to drive down the street we see my son Street or you know just have somebody say hey I went to Thurman Munson Stadium the other night it's it makes me smile it would make Sermons smile Munson is of course enshrined in Monument Park and his number is retired Dianna began the Thurman Munson foundation in 1982 benefit retarded show Thurman's memory will never be lost his legend who never died he is a Yankee now and for - opening day a few years ago I saw the 15 and the Munson's there and realized that he truly was I mean he's transcended age and everything he was the hero to a lot of people in my eyes Thurmond still there he's still you know he was there then he's still looking Keys dating now his spirit is amazing because he was an amazing man [Music] Thurman Munson has not stepped into Yankee Stadium in more than two decades and yet his name resonates as though he were there yesterday much like another Yankee legend the great Lou Gehrig Munson was taken from us far too soon and in a tragic way that's difficult to explain we can only take solace in the fact that he died loving what he was doing with his life at the time playing baseball flying his plane and spending time with his family and this is how we'll always remember the captain number 15 for the YES Network I'm John sterling and thanks for watching the a geography [Music]

Channel: Classic College Football

Views: 14,587

Rating: 4.6756759 out of 5

Keywords: Tennessee, Yankees, New York, Thurman Munson

Id: UbDdjGxQDzE

Length: 44min 48sec (2688 seconds)

Published: Tue Feb 27 2018